You know it's BS - here's the proof

A public poll released earlier this week showed Rich Carmona leading Jeff Flake in the Arizona Senate race by two-points, 45% - 43% with 12% undecided.

As a result, Congressman Flake, his allied Super PACs and other Washington-based groups have committed to spending millions of dollars on television, radio and mail in an effort to tear down Carmona.

I don't know about you, but whenever a Flake ad comes on the TV, I mute it.  I know it's BS, and now I can prove it.  Starting today we will be posting "Flaked Facts" – a series that will fact check Congressman Flake’s bogus claims and misleading attacks – and arm you with the truth.

The Gazette Blog has contacted Flake's office in the past to complain about its unfair tactics, including a series of mailers attempting to portray Carmona as an Obama lackey.  If the Flake campaign can provide any evidence that Carmona is also playing fast and loose with the facts, we'll be happy to post it.

 If you're an independent voter like me, you'll want to know the truth before you choose.

    FACT CHECK FLAKE    

FLAKED ISSUE: Congressman Flake’s campaign ad titled “What’s Missing from Richard Carmona’s Bio?”

FLAKED AD CLAIM: “What Carmona’s bio doesn’t say is that while he ran the Pima County Health System their debt ran up to $46 million, a jump of 28% in one year. Carmona was forced to resign. Rich Carmona. Another Obama big spender.”

THE TRUTH:

Rich Carmona was director of Kino Community Hospital, the Pima County public hospital responsible for providing indigent care in a low-income area and to many individuals without health insurance.

1. What Congressman Flake does not tell you is that is that Kino was required by law to cover all patients -- including those without the ability to pay.
2. What Congressman Flake does not tell you is that this issue came up during Dr. Carmona's Senate confirmation process to become the 17th Surgeon General of the United States, after being nominated by President George W. Bush – or that Rich went on to receive a unanimous confirmation.
3. What Congressman Flake does not tell you is that Dr. Carmona repeatedly pushed the Pima County Board of Supervisors to enact policies to reduce cost throughout the health system. Following his departure, the hospital continued to lose money and the board eventually adopted several of Dr. Carmona's recommendations.

THE FACTS [Sourced]:

• The Pima County Health System is required by law to cover all patients – including those without the ability to pay. Kino was the “only safety net for patients who can't afford health care but aren't eligible for state help,” and is also responsible for providing “indigent care for the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System.” [Arizona Daily Star, July 8, 1999]
• Carmona Actually Pushed for Changes to Health System. Carmona told the Pima County Board of Supervisors that as the federal and state dollars for the uninsured decrease, more responsibility will fall to the county. "Ultimately, someone has to accept responsibility for these people.” [Tucson Citizen, September 30,              1996]
• County Administrator Chuck Huckleberry “blamed the AHCCCS cap for much of the hospital’s $40 million deficit.” AHCCCS at one time accounted for “more than $21 million a year in revenue to the county.” In 1998, it returned only $13 million. [Tucson Citizen, June 14th, 1999]
• Mike Rollins, former chairman of the hospital board said, "The problems existed before [Carmona] entered the system." [LA Times, March 29, 2002]
• Republican county supervisor Mike Boyd said Carmona was “a scapegoat for the woefully inadequate leadership by the board and the health care commission. The board didn't have the guts to make the budget decisions they should have made so the want to fire the director instead.” [Arizona Daily Star, July 10, 1999]
• Republican county supervisor Ray Carroll added, “He inherited a system that was leaking for years,” calling Carmona a messenger who was punished for delivering an unpopular message. “He was telling the board things some members didn’t want to hear. I think he was treated very badly.” Carroll went on to say that Carmona “will make a great surgeon general.” [Tucson Citizen, March 28, 2002]